


Bewitched on NC1701

by Puttingitlightly



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Bottom Jim, Fluff, M/M, More relationships to come, Slow Build, future spirk, george is alive...technically, i freaking love amanda grayson, jim in glasses, jim in panties, khan is a tribble, probably spocks family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-11
Updated: 2016-11-25
Packaged: 2018-08-30 08:35:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8526205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Puttingitlightly/pseuds/Puttingitlightly
Summary: Basically if Jim Kirk was a witch, in the vein of Sabrina the teenage witch.T'pring will probably become a goat or a pineapple at some point.





	1. Jim the teenage witch

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first go at trying to write again in 8 years. I used to write little things when I was in middle school, but the flamers of fanfiction.net convinced me that my energy would be better spent trying to kill myself.
> 
> Writing again is taking a lot out of me, and I would appreciate it if you tried to go easy on me. I'm very aware that its not very good, I'm still re-learning.  
> Thank you for your understanding.
> 
>  

Jim Kirk, 16 standard years old.  
Winona couldn’t believe it. Tonight, her precious little boy would be a warlock. She hoped to hell he would be the good kind. He had been hell in her hands for the past 16 years, but he had a good heart, she could just tell. He inherited that from his father.  
George’s heart and Winona’s magic… what beautiful potential.

She glanced down at her watch, right about when there was a knock on the front door. She swung it open to let Chris and Una inside.  
“I hope we aren’t late” Chris offered with a Cheshire-esque grin.  
“No, no, just in time. It’s quarter till.” She grinned as well, leading them to the kitchen where she started preparing three cups of hot chocolate.  
Chris, since being invited in, had joined Winona in checking his watch every 30 seconds. Taking a long sip of his cocoa, he relaxed against the island. “George is so proud, Winnie. You have no idea.  
She smiled soft, almost sadly. “Is he doing well?”  
“As well as he can be, but yes. I tell him every day about you and Jim, he’s super excited to meet his boy.” He smiled back at her, more encouraging. “He’s at peace, Winnie. It’s worth it for him.”  
She nodded thankfully.  
“Well, I'm sure that's... that. So, anyways have you thought about what you are going to do if Jim doesn't have powers? Do you have a backup plan?” Una asked, trying to derail this conversation as soon as possible. Tonight wasn't for Winona and Chris to reminisce or throw pity parties, it was the night that Jim would come into his powers. A happy occasion.  
Winona gave her a look, confused, but slowly more shocked. The possibility that Jim wouldn’t have any powers hadn’t occurred to her. "No, I guess I don't." Half mortals were rare, but they always developed powers… at least the ones that Winona knew about. Then again, if your child had no powers… that wasn’t the kind of thing that you made known to the witch community, and they wouldn’t be under the jurisdiction of the witches’ council, so there would be no laws or regulations concerning powerless half mortals. "I mean, I'm not planning to pull him out of school for witch training or anything, but I guess I can't keep this a secret much longer either. I'm not sure how I managed this long."  
Chris checked his watch while Winona zoned out, staring thoughtfully into her cocoa. He stood up quickly a few minutes later. “11:59 it’s time to find out.” He practically bounced up the stairs, Winona quick on his heels, and happy for the break in silence.

Chris squatted low, giving the ladies room to peek through the cracked door above him.  
“he’s not floating, Chris. Chris why isn’t he floating?”  
“just give him a second Winnie, not everyone is so naturally gifted as you are.” And no sooner had he said it than it started. “he’s floating, he’s floating!” Chris whispered excitedly.  
Winona squinted “I don’t think that he is, Chris. I think he just shifted.”  
"...shit you're right."

{2 hours later}  
Chris was jolted awake by the sensation of falling, as gravity and sleep deprivation conspired against him. He glanced over to the opposite side of the door where Una and Winona had fallen asleep, slumped up against the wall together. He moved to wake Una when something caught his eye through the currently-ajar door, and he pushed it open further, excitedly waking Winona. "Winnie! come on, you gotta get up. He's doing it!" he whisper-yelled, shaking her awake.  
She opened her eyes hesitantly, immediately glaring at him. Una wasn't too far behind, lifting her head from Winona's now-drool-soaked shoulder.  
Chris rolled his eyes, pulling her to her feet, and pointing her to see where Jim was floating a solid foot off the bed.  
Winona grinned sleepily “well, that’s a start.” Una dragged herself to her feet and pat her shoulder, grinning.  
“Congratulations, Winona. I can feel it. He’s going to do amazing things.”  
“You’ve never been wrong before, Una.” She gave a long sigh, adoration clearly written across her face. “The first Kirk warlock. He's going to make us proud.”


	2. witches grow up quick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> idefk its 4:30 am

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also, check out http://8tracks.com/mageofthemist/bewitching which is related to this story.  
> there will be some chapters inspired by specific songs, which will be listed. 
> 
> Right now I'm trying to kind of rush through the backstory to get to Jim on the enterprise. I'm sorry its jumpy, I just want everyone to have adequate backstory before I get into the actual story.
> 
>  

The next morning Sam’s shuttle got in, just in time for the kirks and the pikes to have breakfast together.  
They were just waiting for Jim to wake up and join them.  
“hey mom” Sam smiled, after setting his suitcase by the stairs. He wrapped his arms around her waist. “are you actually cooking the old-fashioned way?”  
She grinned kissing his cheek “I’m glad you’re home sweetie. Yes, it’s sausage links. This Tellarite woman, who just transferred into my department, gave me the replicator code. They have maple syrup in them.” She plated up a couple of links, passing them off to Chris who sat down, digging in.  
Sam jumped back suddenly, as a door upstairs swung open and a shouting Jim scrambled down the stairs.  
He dodged around the banister, nearly hysterical. “mom!!!” Jim cried, inky black mucus, dripping from his unfocused eyes, mixed with tears.  
Chris was on his feet in a second, and by his side nearly as fast as Winona.

.....

Jim was shaking, trying hard to relax as his mom had him laying back on the couch  
Today was shaping out to be the weirdest, and scariest day of his life. He had expected breakfast, and presents… maybe a visit from uncle Chris and aunt Una, but not any of this. He had woken up in some of the worst pain he had ever felt, eyes irritated, and covered in gunk, and then, on top of whatever was wrong with his eyes, his mom had to drop the whole ‘you’re a witch, and so are we’ bomb on him, and honestly he was just too shocked and disoriented to question it. They could tell him that he was a leprechaun for all he cares, as long as someone made the pain stop.  
“It’s just trans-dimensional bacterial-conjunctivitus. Like pinkeye for multidimensional beings. Okay sweetheart? Just relax. You’re going to be fine. Tons of witch children get this.” She carefully cleared some of the mucus from his eyes with a cold wet rag. It was meant to be soothing, but honestly it just burned. Jim sat through it anyways, thankful to have some of the gunk gone.  
“Ouch, sucks little bro. and on your sixteenth birthday, too. What a rotten deal.”  
“Winnie, this looks bad. Maybe we should call a healer. For all you know, that bacteria has been feasting on his dormant dimensional-cornea for weeks and we just didn’t know because his powers weren’t active yet.”  
Winona was worried, as evidenced by the tone of her sigh, so she conceded fairly quick. “Okay. I’ll go call the other-realm medical service and have them send someone over. You stay here and finish cleaning him up.”  
Chris nodded, not that Jim could see it, and took the rag from Winona.  
“I’ll go help Una clean up the kitchen.” Sam ruffled Jim’s hair. “and I’ll bring you back some bacon and eggs, okay little man?”  
Jim nodded as Chris wiped off a bit of the gunk that had smeared onto his temple.

.....

“I’m sorry baby boy. This isn’t how I wanted you to spend your first day as a witch.” Winona held his hand between hers.  
The healer held a strange red lens in front of his eyes. “Okay, what do you see now, James?”  
Jim was growing more frustrated every time he asked that “I don’t know, everything? I keep telling you, it’s like I’m looking at film that’s been double exposed… but, like a hundred times. I can kind of focus in on bits and pieces but it’s really hard.”  
“What’s wrong with his eyes doctor?” Winona asked, much less collected than she had been when trying to calm him down.  
“What’s film?” Sam added, unhelpfully  
The healer sighed, equally frustrated. “he has a very advanced case of trans-dimensional bacterial-conjunctivitis, Mrs. Kirk. I’m going to give you the recipe for an antibiotic tincture to wipe it out. In the meantime, he seems to have lost most of his dimensional focus. I’m having some lenses made that will help him, but they will only work in this dimension.”  
“Will he regain his ability to focus once the bacteria is gone?”  
The healer frowned slightly and Winona steeled herself for the bad news. “That really is hard to say Mrs. Kirk. Most children fully recover that ability, but this is a very unique situation. Your son’s eyes were damaged by the bacteria before those genes were even active. He could learn how do over time… or he could never acquire that ability at all. I really can’t say. I’m sorry."

.....

Under other circumstances, Jim probably would have had a harder time accepting this whole magic business, but the novelty of it quickly became his silver lining, though it was definitely still a struggle to adjust.  
“If these walls could talk” took on a completely new meaning when he realized that they actually could. No wonder he never could get away with having girls over while his mom was at work.  
Jim’s glasses had arrived in the toaster (yes that fucking vintage toaster, that mom never made toast in, was apparently actually a means of sending and receiving magical mail!) later that night, and Jim bitched. Boy did Jim bitch. Glasses, after all, were a thing that humans hadn’t needed in a long time, and especially horn-rimmed glasses, which hadn’t been in style since 2036. Despite his bitching, Jim was actually relieved that everything finally looked normal again. He used the drops every day and the infection got better. On his second checkup, the healer said he was making excellent progress, but that he would be more prone to infection again in the future, probably for the rest of his life.  
“Mom, no.” Jim shoved her hand away. She wouldn’t stop insisting that he let her smudge that goop all over his eyes.  
“Jim, it will help your eyes get better.” She tried again, actually landing the brush on the outer edge of his eyelid.  
“It’s makeup, how does that help? Wouldn’t that stuff just make the infections worse?” He wiped it off.  
“It has laurionite in it. It will boost your nitric oxide production, and your eyes will heal themselves. Now sit still.”  
“You’re putting LEAD on my eyes? No fucking way.” He stood up, pushing her away and storming out of the room. As if the glasses weren’t bad enough.  
“It worked for the Egyptians!” she slung back. “AND WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE.”  
He slammed his bedroom door.  
The second he turned around, he groaned. “Uncle Chriiiis.”  
“Jiiiiimmy” Chris whined back from where he sat at Jim’s desk. “you shouldn’t be so rough like that on your mom. She just wants to take care of you.”  
“It was literally lead.”  
Chris rolled his eyes. “We’ll talk more about it later. For now, we need to work on your transfiguration spells. It’s the easiest magic, so I’m sure that you will get it.” He set an apple on Jim’s desk “turn it into a pear.”  
{3 hours later}  
Every surface of Jim’s room was covered in various foods, plants, and even a few small animals.  
“Chris this is useless, I can’t change apples into pears, I can’t change carrots into plomeek, and I can’t change raccoons into rabbits. Can you just PLEASE make all this shit go away? We’ve been working on his for three hours straight. I’m exhausted, I want to go to sleep.”  
Chris finally took pity on him, offering an awkward smile and a pat on the shoulder before he zapped it all away. “It’s okay kid, we’ll try something different tomorrow. Maybe transfiguration just isn’t your thing.”

.....

They did try something new every day. The next day was teleportation, then incantation, banishment, apparition, shapeshifting, flying, potion making, and the list goes on. Chris even tested him with Zener cards.  
Jim was surprisingly good with potion making, but that didn’t really require magic, it was basically chemistry for witches. The only thing Jim could do with his powers was guess whether a card had a squiggly or a square on it, and mix up a decent potion, so long as he had proper ingredients. If not for the way that reality crumbled every time he took off his glasses, Jim could almost believe that he was completely mortal.  
It was a year later, an entire year to solidify that he was never going to have real powers, and adjust to his new disability, before the novelty was gone and he couldn’t do it anymore. He packed a duffel bag that night, knowing that his mom would catch word before he even got out the door, but he had to. He couldn’t take living in that house. He couldn’t deal with magical household items around every turn, or Sam’s home visits, when magic ran amok all around him. It only made him feel bad about what he’d never be able to do.  
He saw Winona step onto the porch out of the corner of his eye as he got on his bike, and forced himself not to look. Seeing her, completely distraught (or not at all, which would be just as bad honestly) would only make this harder.

.....

Chris hadn’t bothered him since he left. No “popping in” and no more lessons. Jim had grown accustomed to life as it was now. Just him.  
He convinced the guy who ran the shipyard bar to let him work, in exchange for a cot in the back, on the very first night out on his own . He had since become the best employee there, slowly working his way up. Currently, he was bartending, and it was quite possibly his favorite job. It was a lot like potion making (and Jim would never admit to occasionally giving a drink or two a little extra something, but he totally did.) Jim might not be a great witch, but he is a great bartender.  
He finished wiping the counter down, tossing the towel over his shoulder as a plump redhead took a seat in front of him. He turned his best smile on her already pulling out the correct glass. “Your poison, gorgeous?”  
She grinned back “Tall, blonde, and playful.”  
Jim chuckled, setting to work on a strawberry daquiri and a Cardassian sunrise, while she watched on with curiosity.  
“How could you have possibly known?” she asked, disbelieving when he set the daquiri in front of her.  
“Just good like that, I guess?” he rested his elbows on the bar, smirking.  
She nodded, leaning in close.  
“Actually” He grinned, lowering his voice “I’m a witch.”  
She giggled in response, starting to say something, but a familiar face caught his eye from down the bar.  
“Sorry, sweetheart,” he sent her a genuinely apologetic smile. “but if you want a playmate, take this to the blonde in the corner.” He set the Cardassian sunrise in front of her. “I have customers that I need to take care of.”  
He casually made his way down to where Chris was seated, immediately taking notice of his uniform. “what can I get for you… commander?” he busied himself with cleaning the bar while he waited.  
“Passionwart in the Cardassian sunrise. Does cupid know that you are trying to steal his job?”  
“What do you want Chris?”  
“A chocolate lager, and to talk.”  
“I’ll get you the beer, but I’m not going to talk to you about this while I’m working. You’ll have to catch me when I’m off work.”  
“Fair enough.”

.....

Jim laid out on the table, on his back, sinuses filling with blood when a loud whistle caused him to look up.  
“Outside now.” Commander pike ordered of the cadets, who immediately scrambled out of the bar.  
“You can whistle really loud.” Jim choked out, disoriented, glasses cracked and askew.

“You ready to talk now, Jim?”


	3. from cadet to commander pt.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 1.  
> Part 2 is coming soon.  
> I can't tell if it's crap or not this time. I'm sleepy and I've read it too many times.
> 
> I know I prefaced the first chapter with a little bit about my past experiences and asked you guys to take it easy on me, but I feel the need to clarify that that doesn't mean you can't offer helpful critic. I genuinely desire to get better, and critic is necessary to learn and do so.  
> So long as your intentions are good, and your criticism isn't in the form of an attack, I will accept and even appreciate it.
> 
> And honestly your comments fuel me. Your support really encourages me, and your suggestions are wonderful. I value every comment that you send my way, so please do so.

Jim sat half slumped over the bar, sipping on some ridiculous fruity drink, with absinthe in it. It was doing a lot to make the situation more bearable.  
“You know, I couldn’t believe it when they told me where you were” Chris grinned to himself. “You’re so much like your father. The bike, and the hair,” which he ruffled “You know, he used to like to start the occasional barfight too.”  
Jim glossed right over the dad talk. He wasn’t going to let Chris get him all tangled up in his emotions after all this time. “Just be straight with me. You’re not here to shoot the shit. Which ‘they’ sent you after me, Chris?”  
“Jim, every ‘they’ out there. They all want you. I’m here primarily on behalf of Starfleet, and to a lesser extent, the witches’ council.”  
“What could the witches’ council possibly want with me?”  
“To throw you in inter-dimensional prison for starters. I’ve seen you break three major laws, with my own eyes, just this week.”  
“I didn’t know that getting into fights was against witch-law or something.”  
“it isn’t. using magic on a mortal without a witch’s license, tampering with mortal emotions and the structure of love, and revealing yourself to mortals are.”  
“So? Great. Women love a fugitive.” He held his empty glass up, calling out to the bartender on shift for another.  
“Look, Jim. They are going to take you away. Throw you in some dank pocket dimension for the rest of your life, with no powers.”  
“So basically nothing will change?” he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.  
“I’ve made a deal with the council Jim, and I won’t let you waste it. Come to Starfleet academy. Catch the next shuttle to San Francisco. The fleet could use a guy like you, they’ve lost all their… spunk.”  
Jim started to get up. He didn’t need this. Let the council come after him.  
“What is it, Jim? You like being the only genius level repeat offender in the Midwest? Or are you just scared that your father’s legacy would only be another thing for you to live down?”  
Jim turned back around, with fire in his eyes. “What are you trying to say, pike?”  
“I’m saying that you are meant for great things, Jim, with or without magic. Enlist in Starfleet. Save yourself, and make a difference.”  
“Enlist?” He laughed “You must be way down in your recruiting quota for the month.”  
“If you are half the man that your father was when he was in Starfleet, they could really use you. You could finish up at the academy in four years, and have your own ship in eight. The whole universe would be yours.”  
“Are we done?”  
Chris got up to leave. “Shuttle leaves tomorrow, at 0800. Your father was captain of a starship for 12 minutes, and he saved 800 lives. Including your mother’s, and yours. I know that you can do better, in fact, I dare you to.”  
***  
Jim got there just in time. The shuttle was almost full.  
“Nice ride” shouted one of the shipyard engineers when Jim pulled up.  
Jim smiled, and tossed him the keys. “It’s yours, pal.”  
He walked straight up to where Chris was standing. “Four years, huh? I’ll do it in 3.”  
Jim stepped inside the shuttle, saluting sarcastically at the guys who he had fought with in the bar, and smirking at Uhura, who just rolled her eyes.  
“Never did get that first name.” He started, but was interrupted by a ruckus in the back of the shuttle.  
“You need a doctor.”  
“I told you people, I don't need a doctor. I am a doctor.”  
“You need to get back to your seat.”  
“I had one in the bathroom with no windows.”  
“You need to get back to your seat, now!”  
“I suffer from aviophobia.” He poked the officer in the shoulder. “It means fear of dying in something that flies.”  
“Sir, for your own safety, sit down or else I'll make you sit down.”  
“Fine.”  
“Thank you.”  
The guy sat down next to Jim, taking a sip from his flask as Captain Pike came over the speaker to say that they would be taking off.  
“I may throw up on you.” The guy said, turning to Jim.  
“I think these things are pretty safe.” He said, trying to be reassuring.  
“Don't pander to me, kid. One tiny crack in the hull, and our blood boils in thirteen seconds. A solar flare might pop up and cook us in our seats. And wait 'til your sitting pretty with a case of Andorian shingles. See if you're still so relaxed when your eyeballs are bleeding. Space is disease and danger after darkness and silence.” He gritted out through his teeth  
Jim rolled his eyes. “Well, I hate to break this to you, but Starfleet operates in space, so you’re SOL.”  
“Yeah, well, got nowhere else to go. The ex-wife took the whole damn planet in the divorce. All I've got left is my Bones” he offered Jim a sip from his flask, which he hesitantly took.  
“Jim Kirk.”  
“McCoy, Leonard McCoy.”  
***  
4 weeks later  
***  
“I’ve got something for you, kid.”  
Jim nearly jumps out of his skin, jerking away from where he was hanging up his leather jacket in the closet of his new dorm room.  
“Fuck, Chris. You can’t do that to me.”  
“Why? You never minded it before.”  
“It’s been five and a half years. Over five very quiet years, without magic mail-toasters, talking furniture, or crazy family members popping in unexpectedly.”  
“Fair enough.” He held out a large, flat present box. “I was supposed to give you this on your 18th birthday, but we didn’t know where you were. It’s long overdue.”  
Jim hesitantly took the box “It’s not a magic toaster, is it?”  
“No but if you need one, I have one in my office that you are welcome to.” He grinned.  
Jim started to unwrap the present cautiously. He really hoped that whatever it was, it didn’t talk. He was only slightly surprised to find a mirror inside the box. Huh, a mirror.” He smiled “Are you trying to tell me something?”  
“It’s a magic mirror, you dope.” Chris beamed, happy to have gotten a little bit of his nephew Jim back lately. Enough, at least that they could joke with each other on occasion. He took the handheld mirror, and placing it on the wall. It instantly expanded into a full length mirror.  
“Thanks Chris, but I’m not the evil queen, I think I can…” The mirror glowed faintly and a form slowly came into view. “manage.” He stared in disbelief.  
“Jim, is that you?” George’s eyes were watery and his features slightly sunken in when the image finally came into focus.  
Chris watched on, with pride and joy clear in his eyes.  
“Dad…” Jim croaked.  
***  
“No. Fuck no, hell no.” Bones clutched his head. “This isn’t happening.”  
“Leonard, please sit down and I will explain.” Chris pointed to the seat on the opposite side of his desk.  
“Don’t ‘Leonard’ me. First you people take my daughter away from me, and now you’re what? Assigning some poor dumb kid to keep an eye on me? No way. The only good thing about having to leave home was that I didn’t have to deal with any of this witch bullshit anymore.”  
“Leonard, Jim is my nephew, please. I don’t want him to watch after you… actually quite the opposite.”  
“so you want me to babysit? Okay, then take my no, and multiply it by like, a thousand.  
“You and Jim have a lot more in common than you think. I just want you to be his friend.”  
“Oh, that ship has sailed, buddy. I was actually starting to like the kid until I found out he was one of you, a.. a witch for crying out loud. What did I do to deserve any of this?”  
“Nothing. You deserve much better.”  
“DAMN RIGHT.”  
“Please sit down.”  
He tipped the chair over in the way that a cat pushes a glass off a table when it’s being an asshole.  
“Len, that was uncalled for.”  
Bones huffed, setting the chair back up, because he knew that Chris was right, but he didn’t take a seat. “I’m not sitting.”  
“Fine, but listen. Jim is only half witch. His dad was mortal. Just like you and your little girl, and I feel like he needs a little guidance… and someone to confide in. He’s not exactly on good terms with the council. Magic took a lot from him too; it took his father, his sight, his confidence, his chance at a happy, normal life,”  
“We should start a club.”  
“Well… in a way, that’s what I’m proposing. Just be there for him until he graduates and is assigned to my crew, and I will try to work things out so you can see your daughter. Do we have a deal?”  
***  
Bones woke up to the sun in his eyes, and familiar, but unwelcome limbs tangled with his, kicking them away.  
“Dammit Jim! How many times have I told you. Get out of my bed!” he tried to pull himself out of his grasp.  
Jim groaned, wrapping his arms around Bones’ waist tighter, and nuzzling up against his chest. “Five more minutes.”  
Bones glared at his sleepy face, too pinned in to get to his uniform. He checked the time, trying to relax under Jim for the next five minutes, and definitely not petting him like a cat. It was surprisingly tempting. Jim was actually somewhat sweet in the mornings, sleepy, cuddly, soft around the edges. It was the one time of the day when he wasn’t asking for trouble. Bones couldn’t reward him for invading his personal space though, or it would never stop. Once five minutes had passed, he roughly and suddenly shoved Jim off of him, and also off the bed. “Five minutes is up, stay out of my bed.”  
“You’re so mean to me, you know that?” Jim whined from the floor.  
“It’s not mean, I just like my space and you are about as clingy as an octopus on ecstasy”  
Jim grinned “Speaking of space, I’m bringing Gaila back here tonight. Is there any chance that you could not be here?” He dragged himself to his feet, looking for his uniform.  
Bones had pulled a clean uniform from his closet, like some kind of fancy motherfucker who actually did laundry. “I don’t have to work till twelve, and I plan to spend that time in MY room, working on MY assignments. So you’re SOL. Also, weren’t you just telling me last night about some Vulcan you had your sights set on?”  
“Commander Spock, and I said he was gorgeous, not that I was going to go for it. Vulcans aren’t my thing.”  
Bones paused in lacing up his boots “…don’t you think that’s a little xenophobic? Not to date him, even though you clearly like him, just because he’s Vulcan?”  
“It’s not a race thing, it’s just… you know how Vulcans are. They’re just so cold and ‘logical’, not to mention the whole seven-year mating cycle thing. I mean that kind of sounds like a recipe for an awful sex life to me. If I had an actual prejudice against Vulcans like that, I probably wouldn’t be attracted to him in the first place. Besides, how do You get to talk to me about xenophobism.”  
“The same way that you think you get to talk to me about my coffee consumption.”  
Jim conceded, pulling on his undershirt. “What time is it?” he asked stretching.  
“0900, my class starts in thirty minutes.” Bones headed for the bathroom to brush his teeth.  
Jim just grinned, plugging the code for Bones’ normal coffee, and two cheesy breakfast burritos into the small, manual-input replicator in their little kitchenette. When it was done, Jim prepared the coffee himself, knowing that Bones didn’t like the “ideal” amount of cream and sugar that the replicator added automatically.  
“Hey Jim, would you mind-“ Bones leaned out the bathroom doorway “ah yea, that. Thanks.” He ducked back inside, rinsing the toothpaste out of his mouth.  
Once he had finished making himself presentable, he exited the bathroom to find Jim standing at the doorway, with his bag, a burrito and a cup of coffee all ready for him. Bones took the bag, nodding his thanks, but when he went to reach for his breakfast, Jim held it out of his reach.  
“Have a good day, honey.” Jim smiled, pulling him in for a kiss. Bones jerked away, and Jim ended up kissing his cheek instead, snickering. “I’ll see you after work”  
Bones scrunched up his nose, taking the coffee and burrito from him. “If you’re so eager to be a housewife, then stop fooling around with that frisky Orion and pick a nice boy already. In the meantime, keep your slobber off my face.”  
Jim chuckled as Bones left for the day, and he started getting ready himself.  
Once Jim was dressed, as sharply as he could manage while wearing the same red cadet uniform as everyone else, he made his way to the coffee shop that he had become accustomed to visiting around ten every morning.  
It was as empty as it ever is, but he ordered his normal latte, and found a small table where he could spread his books out to give the appearance of studying.  
At 10:15 exactly, commander Spock walked through the door, as he always did, and ordered the same tea that he ordered every day. Jim adored the way that his long elegant body swept from the counter to his usual seat. He was stunning in his instructor blacks.  
There was nothing wrong with Spock being Vulcan, nothing at all. In fact, it was pretty damn alluring.  
Jim never wanted to be one of those creepy guys who slept around with aliens just because they were “exotic”. Novelty is definitely not a good enough excuse to play with someone’s emotions. So he was a little put off by the fact that the whole Vulcan thing was turning him on so much. He just couldn’t help it though. God what he would give to nibble on the pointed tips of those sexy ears, or see how deep that particular shade of green can go, or feel his mind flush against his own.

“Y’know kiddo,” Chris sat down across from him, rudely interrupting his musings, “it’s rude to stare.”  
“I wasn’t staring, I was just looking.”  
“You come here and look every day at 10 am?” he smirked  
Jim sighed, setting his latte down. “Not every day. I have a 10 am class on Thursdays.”  
“Yea? It’s a real shame that he’s going to be your commanding officer when you join me on the enterprise.”  
“Commanding officer?”  
“I’ve asked him to be my first officer.”  
Jim sighed “As if he wasn’t out of my league enough. It’s okay though, I already decided to let it go.”  
“Yea, that’s why you are sitting here right now. I think you’re making excuses.”  
“Hey, I can still look at the menu, even if I’m not ordering… and he’s definitely the best thing on the menu.”  
“Sure is, most expensive too, and you’re broke.”  
Jim shut the textbook he had been pretending to study from. “Literally and figuratively…. with a xenobiology class to get to.”  
Chris rolled his eyes, stealing Jim’s coffee cup, and the rest of the latte inside.  
“Have fun.” He winked at him as Jim finished pulling the rest of his stuff together, and left the coffee shop.  
***  
“Why are you so happy?” Bones watched Jim grin like an idiot as they walked out of xenobiology.  
“I don't know what you're talking about.”  
“No, I don't suppose you do.” He rolled his eyes  
“I'm taking the test again.” Jim practically skipped beside him.  
“You got to be kidding me.”  
“Yeah, tomorrow morning and I want you to be there.”  
“You know, I've got better things to do than to watch you embarrass yourself for a third time. I'm a doctor, Jim, I'm busy.”  
Jim turned to face him, walking backwards. “Bones, it doesn't bother you that no one's ever passed the test?”  
“Jim, it's the Kobayashi Maru. No one passes the test, and no one goes back for seconds, let alone thirds”  
“I got to study.” Jim started walking off in the direction of the girls’ dormitory  
“Study my ass.”  
“Maybe later,” Jim winked.  
***  
Jim rolled his hips against Gaila’s, dragging their bodies closer together and nipping at her ear… oh wait, were ears just a fetish for him in general?...nah.  
She moaned, kissing over one of the many deep bite-marks she had left on his neck and shoulders. “Ahh~ …Jim, I love you.”  
Jim pulled back a bit “That is sooo… weird.”  
Gaila turned on the lights, letting out an exasperated huff. “Did you just say ‘that is so weird,’ Jim? I thought we talked about this.”  
“Yeah, I did but I...”  
“You don't love me too? Like at all?”  
“Of course I do, Gaila, you know that you are very special to me, it’s just… strange to say it this way.”  
“What way would you prefer to say it?”  
He shrugged “I don’t know, it’s just that, for humans, saying I love you is kind of a big deal and… im sorry, this is totally my fault… again.”  
“It’s not. I get it. I just think that humans place too much inviolability and sacredness on the phrase ‘I love you.’ …Actually no, now that I think about it, this is strictly a human guy thing. Me and Nyota say ‘I love you’ all the time.”  
“Yea but that’s different.”  
“No it isn’t.”  
“Wait, are you and your roommate… y’know?”  
“That’s none of your business. Jim Kirk, I feel love for you, and you are an important part of my life. I want to express that, preferably without you going flaccid. I know that you aren’t going to marry me or anything stupid like that, but friends can love each other, Jim.”  
“Yea, I guess I’m just-“  
The main computer beeped as someone entered their access code to get in.  
“Oh, shit, that's my roommate. Hide!”  
“I thought you said she was gone for the night?”  
“Well, obviously, she's not. Quick, you've got... get under the bed.”  
“Oh c'mon, really?”  
“She can't see you.”  
“Why not?”  
“Because I promised her I'd stop bringing guys back to the room.”  
“Wait, how many guys have you...?”  
“Down, Jim! Get down!”


	4. from commander to captain pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 part 2  
> Meant to post this on thanksgiving, so happy thanksgiving guys.  
> I'm really not very happy with chapter 3 (both parts.)   
> They took too long to write and I spent way too much time trying to follow the movie only to end up cutting out 90% of it.   
> Future chapters will not be as segmented, and probably won't follow the cannon timeline.  
> I hope to come back stronger on chapter 4.

“This session has been called to resolve a troubling matter. James T. Kirk, step forward.”  
Jim awkwardly made his way up to the podium.   
“Cadet Kirk, evidence has been submitted to this council, suggesting that you violated the ethical code of conduct pursuant to Regulation One-Seven point three of the Starfleet Code. Is there anything you care to say before we begin, sir?”  
He looked around at the council and jury, rushing over his rights and options in his head. “Yes, I believe I have the right to face my accuser directly.”  
There was shuffling behind him and he turned, shocked to see Spock rising uncomfortably from the sea of cadets and professors.  
“Step forward, please. This is Commander Spock. He's one of our most distinguished graduates. He's programmed the Kobayashi Maru exam for the last four years.”  
“I am aware.” Jim responded, refusing to meet his eyes. This was definitely not how he wanted to meet Spock.  
“Cadet Kirk, you somehow managed to install and activate a subroutine to the programming code, thereby changing the conditions of the test.” He said accusingly. There was something unfortunate about his voice. It had some quality to it that made ‘Cadet Kirk’ sound derogatory and the rest of the statement sound like “you’re an ugly, worthless, pathetic, whore.” But maybe that was just Jim’s own quiet, rarely heard-from self-hatred cropping up.  
“Your point being?” Kirk responded immediately to this tone. Either way, he was going to be defensive.  
“In academic vernacular, you cheated.” Council member Barnett clarified.  
“Let me ask you something, I think we all know the answer to.” Jim said, venomously, directing the question to Spock. ”The test itself is a cheat, isn't it? You programmed it to be unwinnable.”  
“ Your argument precludes the possibility of a no-win scenario.” Spock stated matter-of-factly, not meeting his eyes.  
“I don't believe in no-win scenarios.”  
“Then, not only did you violate the rules, you also failed to understand the principle lesson.”  
“Please, enlighten me.”  
“You of all people should know, Cadet Kirk. A Captain cannot cheat death.”  
“I of all people.” Jim hung his head again. Of course they would bring this up.  
“Your father, Lieutenant George Kirk, assumed command-“  
“ My father? Okay. I really think you need to shut up now.” Jim interrupted him as an aide handed a pad to councilmember Barnett.  
“Excuse me? “  
“Listen, pal, you don’t know ANYTHING about my father. He is, was a great man, and if anything, his example proves to me that a no-win scenario doesn’t exist. He faced worse odds than you could ever imagine, worse odds than you will ever be able to write into your little simulation, and he conquered them. He saved millions of lives, including my own, and the entire future lineage of hundreds of families. That is NOT a no-win scenario. If you ask me, he won. THAT is the kind of captain that I intend to be.”  
Spock’s look of shock was only interrupted when Barnett spoke up again, this time with urgency.  
“We’ve received a distress call from Vulcan. With our primary fleet engaged in the Laurentian system, I hereby order all cadets to report to Hangar One immediately. Dismissed.”  
Jim stood still behind the podium as he came down from the adrenaline high, and the entire auditorium spilled out towards the hangars. Bones fought his way through the sea of cadets to reach Jim, breaking him away from his place at the podium. “Jim, what was all that about?”  
Bones hung close to his side as they began to make their way with the rest of the crowd. “I don’t know, Bones, I just couldn’t stand to hear him talk about my dad like he was some kind of historical failure, especially after getting to know him. My dad doesn’t deserve that.”  
“I agree, but did you really have to… hey, wait, wasn’t that that Vulcan that you have been swooning like some kind of southern bell over for the past year?”  
Jim rolled his eyes “I guess I didn’t realize what a huge asshole he was.” He grumbled, honestly disappointed. “I don’t think we should talk about him anymore.”  
“If you say so.”  
****  
The second that Jim saw Hikaru Sulu begin to tip over the edge of the drill, he launched into action throwing himself over the edge and grabbing onto him. In retrospect, it was pretty stupid to think that an improperly re-packed shoot, designed for one person, could save them both, but he had to try.  
“I got ya!” he shouted. “Now, pull my 'chute!”   
Hikaru did so immediately, and it didn’t do much more other than nearly jerk Jim’s shoulders out of socket.  
Jim groaned in pain, calling the enterprise one more time.  
“some help down here?”  
\---  
Chekov frantically rushed towards the transporter room, pushing passed the occasional crew member as the situation demanded it.  
“Give me radio control, I can lock on!” he demanded  
\---  
On the surface, Jim was beginning to panic as the ground was getting closer and the enterprise had yet to lock on successfully.  
“Beam us out!”  
“Enterprise, where are you?” he called out desperately when he got no reply.  
The panic took over and Jim gripped Sulu tighter “Close your eyes!”  
“What? Why?”  
“Just close your fucking eyes Hikaru.” Jim had his own scrunched tight, desperately searching himself for anything, for even the most miniscule trace of power to stop this.   
“We’re gonna die, aren’t we.” his free-falling companion sobbed, finally scrunching his own eyes closed.  
Jim’s eyes were wet, the fear of his imminent death, and his own exhaustion (both from fighting Romulans and attempting to summon more power than he technically had) finally taking its toll, and he let go. It was just as he was finally broken, that he had given up, that everything around them began to slow down, that the world around them became dense and falling felt more like sinking.  
Sulu opened his eyes, even the teardrops on his face having slowed in their decent, looking at Jim, and then at the world around them. “What’s going on?”  
Jim smiled, disbelieving as his death grip became more of a hug than anything. “A fucking miracle, Mr. Sulu.”  
“Kork, are you zere? Something strange is happening to our sensors.”  
“We’re here Mr. Chekov, can you beam us up? Technically still falling to our deaths here.”  
“Yes sir! Computating gravitational pull and... gotcha!”  
Sulu and Jim slammed down on the transporter pad, all the built up energy of their fall significantly reduced, but still painful”  
“Meester Kork! Sulu! Are you alright? What happened down zere?” Chekov rushed to help them up.  
“Thanks.” Kirk mumbled as Sulu launched into an explanation of what happened during their fall to the surface.  
“Clear the pad. I'm beaming to the surface.” Spock stormed in, headed for the pad.  
“The surface of what? What, are you going down there for? Are you nuts? Spock, you can't do that?!” Jim practically chased him back onto the pad.  
“Energize.” He demanded.  
Jim jumped into place just in time to transport with him. “Spock, what the fuck do you think you are doing?”  
“The planet is collapsing, I have to save the elders… and my parents. However, I can’t do that if you slow me down.” He was already making quick strides towards the katric ark. “I suggest that you go back.”  
“Regulation says that the captain can not go on away missions alone, no one can. I’ll just have to keep up.”  
“With me? Not likely Mr. Kirk, and might I remind you that regulation also says that the captain and first officer can not both leave the ship. In a dangerous situation, one of us should be on board.”  
“Something tells me that’s a rule that I will be breaking for most of my life.”  
Jim was quick and determined, and despite his physiological disadvantages manage to stay right behind Spock.  
“Spock?” a woman wrapped in a long blue headscarf asked, clearly surprised when they entered the ark.  
“The planet has only seconds left. We must evacuate, now!” Spock leads them out the winding cavernous tunnels, to a cliff, with Jim closing up the back to make sure no one is lost on the way.

“Spock to Enterprise. Get us out now!” Spock demands harshly of the young navigations officer.

“Locking on you.” Chekov replies immediately.  
Another earthquake causes the ground beneath them to tremble.  
“Don't move. Stay right where you are.” Chekov reminds   
“Not us buddy. The planet is going quick, get a move on” Kirk reminds him as the Vulcans try to regain their footing.  
The transporters lock on, just as part of the cliff breaks off, taking the woman in the headscarf with it.  
“No, no!” Spock yells out as the transport starts.   
Jim does the only thing he can think of, jumping off after her, breaking off the transporter lock on himself.  
\---  
Alarms blared in the transporter room as Chekov came over the com system.  
“I'm losing her. I'm losing her, I'm losing her! No, I've lost her.”   
Spock appears on the transporter, frantic. “Kirk Jumped after her, can you get a lock using his biosignature?”  
\---  
Jim dives head first, urging himself to fall fast enough to reach out for her, while slowing the space around them. As their decent becomes more sluggish, he pushes his way towards her, grabbing her hand in one of his, and wrapping the other arm around her waist.  
“Are you okay?” he asked her.  
She looked around in wonder, holding tight to him to anchor herself. “I’m quite not sure”  
Jim chuckled “Don’t worry, they will catch us. I promise. Well… they did last time.”   
“This has happened to you before?”  
“ Yea,” he chuckled nervously. “Lots of strange things happen when you are a Starfleet officer. It’s just, sort of, part of the package.”  
“Mr. Kork, locking on to your biosignature.” Chekov’s voice sounded at him over the coms  
“Good boy, Chekov! I could kiss you. Now get us out of here?”  
“Of course, sir.”  
…………………………………………………………………………..  
Acting captain's log, stardate twenty-two fifty-eight point four two. We have had no word from Captain Pike. I have therefore classified him a hostage of the war criminal known as Nero. Nero, who has destroyed my home planet and most of its six billion inhabitants. While the essence of our culture has been saved in the elders who now reside upon the ship, I estimate no more than ten thousand have survived. I am now a member of an endangered species.”  
………………………………………………………………………..  
Bones pulls the bandage over Jim’s knuckles way too tight to express his frustration.  
“Ow, OW! Dammit Bones, stop.” He squirmed away. The med bay was full of shocked and compromised Vulcans and the fact that Bones had immediately zeroed in on Jim, likely had nothing to do with his injuries, but more to do with the feelings of responsibility he had towards him.  
“What the fuck did you think you were doing out there, kid?” he growled at him in a hushed tone.  
“Saving planets, jumping off of giant space drills, jumping off of cliffs, rescuing fair maidens in distress, y’know, just hero things.” He shrugged  
“You could have gotten yourself killed, out there. I don’t know if you know this, but if you get your ass killed, Chris and I are the ones who have to answer to your mother and the witches’ council. I’m not getting turned into a fucking frog because you decided to free-fall to your death on a whim. I only have two strikes left.”  
Jim grinned, ruffling his already distressed hair. “Bones you wouldn’t be turned into a frog… you’re more of a squirrel, and anyways, I saved us, didn’t I?”  
Bones eyes went wide. “That was you! You caused the temporal anomalies on the surface!” he whisper-yelled. “Fuck, Jim, the entire bridge crew Is in a tizzy over that, the whole fleet is going to know about it. You are going to get caught. Fuck, Jim.”  
“I’ll get caught faster if you don’t keep your mouth shut, jesus Bones.” He looked around frantically to see if any of their Vulcan passengers were paying them any attention. “We can talk about this later, in private.”  
Bones rolled his eyes. “Yea, fine, but only because I have hobgoblins to treat. I’m still pissed. Don’t think that you’re off the hook… and I’m telling the helmsman that you called him a damsel in distress.” Bones stalked away, headed for one of the Vulcan elders who was laid out on a biobed.  
*  
Jim heard a soft chuckle behind him and turned quickly to see the woman from before, standing in the entryway, unwrapping her headscarf.  
“Close friends?”  
“Were you listening to that?”  
“Oh absolutely dear. I wouldn’t worry about anyone else though.” She turned a stunning smile on him. “Eavesdropping would be illogical.”  
“I’m glad you’re alright.” In any less serious a situation, he would have snorted. “if you don’t mind, I forgot to ask your name before.”  
She raised one single eyebrow at him in a way that was potently familiar, and he didn’t need any other answer as to who she was. “I’m Lady Amanda, wife of Sarek. You can just call me Amanda.” She folded the scarf neatly in her lap.  
“You’re Spock’s mom, aren’t you?”  
She nodded smiling “Yes, my baby boy, is your commanding officer. I hope that’s not too off-putting. I’d love to talk to you about how you saved my life by… what was it that he said? Creating a temporal anomaly? And something about witches?” she smirked.  
Jim could feel his heart beating “Please, you can’t tell anyone about any of that.”  
“Please, dear, what would I say? ‘All of a sudden, everything just slowed down, and the next thing I know, I’m flat on my back in the enterprise transporter room. I think a witch is responsible!’? Not my wildest Tuesday night, but pretty far up the list. I’m sure everyone would think I was finally going batty from living on Vulcan for so long.” She took a seat on the biobed next to him. “I suppose that my silence will just have to be payment for saving my life. Unless, of course, you would like to join me for dinner, Mr.…?”  
He held out his hand to her, before awkwardly pulling it back, remembering the bandages and his bloody knuckles. “Kirk, James Tiberius Kirk, or y’know, just Jim if you want.”  
“Jim it is, then. I suppose that dinner will have to wait until you are free?”  
“Yea, sorry.”  
“Don’t worry dear, the life of a first officer must be demanding. I’ll look forward to it in the meantime.”  
****  
“ Aggh. Computer, where am I.” Jim woke grumbling.  
“Delta Vega. Class-M planet. Unsafe. There is a Starfleet outpost fourteen kilometers to the northwest. Remain in your pod until…”   
“Did that asshole nerve pinch me? Oh, you've got to be kidding me.” He shut the voice off.  
Jim breaks off the pod door, dragging himself out, and pulling the foil blanket from the pod to tug over his shoulders. He pulled out his comm to make a log. “Stardate twenty-two fifty-eight point four two, four uh, four whatever. Acting Captain Spock has marooned me on Delta Vega, what I believe to be a violation of security protocol forty-nine point oh nine, covering the treatment of prisoners aboard a starship.”  
Kirk starts making tracks toward what looks like a set of caves in the ice, but is immediately startled by a creature covered in fur and fangs jumping out of the snow to chase him  
He takes off towards a set of caves, trying to will the creature slower, with no effect.  
The fierce creature pursuing him was apparently the least of his worries as a much larger, much scarier, spider-like creature rises out of the snow, snapping the first creature up into his mouth and instantly redirecting to pursue Jim, apparently fluffy snow demons aren’t really that filling.  
Jim screamed as he was chased down a hill, struggling to stay on his feet, much less ahead of the monster. His calves burning fiercely from running through the snow.  
“Holy shiiiit!” he cried as its jaws opened wide to close around him.  
Tightly bundled hands reached out for him, quickly dragging him into a cave in the ice, just in time to pull him out of the jaws of the horrifying ice monster, and into the presence of their owner, an older Vulcan gentleman.  
A handsome (but far too old for him) older Vulcan gentleman.  
“James T. Kirk.” He addressed him, formally but familiar.  
“Excuse me? How did you find me? How do you know my name?” Jim asked, putting some distance between them  
“I have been, and always shall be, your friend.”  
“Wha... oh, look... uh, I don't know you.”  
“ I am Spock.”  
“Bullshit.” Jim snapped back in disbelief.  
***  
-Later, when they are warming by a fire, Jim more so than Spock, despite their biological differences.-  
“It is remarkably pleasing to see you again, old friend. Especially after the events of today.”  
“Uh, sir I appreciate what you did for me today, but, but if you were Spock you would know we're not friends at all. You hate me, you marooned me here for mutiny.” The words burned even as Jim said them.  
“Mutiny?”  
“Yes.”   
“You are not the Captain?”  
“No, no. Umm... you're the Captain. Pike was taken hostage.”  
“By Nero.” He nodded solemnly  
“What do you know about him?”  
“He is a particularly troubled Romulan. Please, allow me. It will be easier.” He reached out for him.  
“Whoah, whoah. What are you doin'?” Jim backed away when the older Vulcan stuck his hands in his face suddenly.  
“Our minds. One and together.” Jim could feel his own mind reaching out to meet his, their minds sliding together. The meld was stunning. Absolute pleasure, despite the initial shock, as they fit together almost perfectly, something just clicking in his mind, responding instinctively to this Spock.   
“One hundred twenty-nine years from now, a star will explode, and threaten to destroy the galaxy. That is where I'm from, Jim. The future. The star went supernova...” he spoke as Jim could see the entire thing unfold in his mind. The plan to save Romulus, Spocks failure, and if he looked far enough back, his entire life.  
“As he was helpless to save his planet, I would be helpless to save mine. Billions of lives lost, because of me, Jim. Because, I failed.”  
Jim was crying, and just a little sweatier than he would have liked, but it felt like electricity against his skin, and he could still feel Spock in his mind as they parted.  
“Forgive me. Emotional transference is an effect of the mind meld. I’ll admit, when I saw you didn’t have your powers, I assumed Your telepathic ability would be dampened as well. I should have shielded you better.”  
“No, don’t be, I didn’t mind” he wiped a tear from his face. ”So you do feel emotions?”  
“Yes, of course, jim.”  
“and you and me, or the other me, at least, were in love?”  
“Deeply.”  
“How was the sex life?”  
Spock sighed “Jim, we must go, now. There is a Starfleet outpost not far from here.”  
“Wait. One last question. Where you came from, I was a witch, like full blown, the whole shebang?”  
“Yes. You often spoke of learning magic with your mother, but it wasn’t what you wanted to do with your life. You often cited your father’s accomplishments and encouragement being your inspiration for joining Starfleet. You wanted to be the youngest captain in Starfleet.”  
“Captain?”  
“of the enterprise. A ship that we must return you to as soon as possible.”  
****  
Spock was acting like some kind of power mad dictator when Jim finally got back aboard, Montgomery Scott in tow. He was clearly throwing himself into overdrive. Knocking Kirk out and putting him in an escape pod, sending him off to some arctic planet, demanding Scotty to answer his questions, and threatening him with court martials, as if the waterpipe incident wasn’t punishment enough. It really fucking burned Jim up.  
Perfect, he needed to be unreasonably amped for this.  
“What is it with you, Spock? Hmm? Your planet was just destroyed, the guest quarters alone could have housed hundreds of Vulcan. You had time to evacuate hundreds with the transporters, but instead, you made the selfish decision, and went down there to save ten. and you're not even upset with yourself. You valued yourself and your parents more than the millions of Vulcans down there, doctors, engineers, children, that you could have saved. You’re a psychopath if that isn’t eating you alive right now.”  
“if you're presuming that these experiences in any way impede my ability to command this ship, you are mistaken.”  
“And yet you were the one who said fear was necessary for command. Did you see his ship? Do you see what he did?”  
“Yes, of course I did.”  
“So, are you afraid or aren't you?”  
“I will not allow you to lecture me about the merits of emotion.”  
“Then why don't you stop me.”  
“Step away from me, Mister...”  
“What is it like not to feel grief, or shame, or remorse or to be able to watch as millions of your people parish?”  
“Back away from me...”  
“You feel nothing! It must not even compute for you! You are selfish! You are incapable of remorse, and you feel no shame for the thousands of people that you let die! You’re a monster.”  
Spock snapped, landing a punch directly to Jim’s jaw, and throwing him violently into the console, where he pinned him by his throat. Jim could feel it as his body started to run out of oxygen, his temples throbbed, and his eyes going fuzzy.  
“Spock.”  
“Spock!”  
“SPOCK!” Amanda shouted, jumping to restrain her son.  
In a fit of resistance, Spock took a swing at her, knuckles grazing her cheek. The shock that crossed both of their faces would have been comical, had the situation not been so grave.  
Spock straightened up, hands shaking. “I am no longer fit for duty. I hereby relinquish my command, based on the fact that I have been emotionally compromised. Please note the time and date in the ship's log.” Spock stormed out, followed by his father.  
“I like this ship! You know, it's exciting.” Scotty grinned, earning him glares from half the bridge crew.  
Jim’s gut twisted, agony and disgust with himself churning in him. That place in the back of his mind, where the elder Spock’s presence had briefly reigned, ached.  
“Jim,” Amanda whispered. Shock and hurt still evident on her face.   
Jim went to wrap his arms around her, and she took a step back, so he took her hands in his instead. “Forgive him, and make sure that he knows that I’m wrong about him. Please?” he whispered.  
She nodded, beautiful, brown, expressive eyes filled with sadness. When she left, neither the ache in his stomach, nor his head stopped, but he knew he could trust her to fix Spock, and forgive them both, and that would have to be good enough.  
“Well, congratulations, Jim. Now we've got no Captain and no goddamn first officer to replace him.” Bones growled.  
“Yeah we do.” Jim sighed taking a seat in the captain’s chair, gripping the armrests tightly  
“What?” Bones asked, confused  
“Pike made him first officer.” Sulu said matter-of-factly  
“You've got to be kidding me.” Bones said, complete disbelief written all over his face.  
“I have faith in you, captain.”  
“Thanks, Sulu, I’m gonna need that kind of faith from my new first officer.”   
“I sure hope you know what you're doing, Captain.” Uhura said, gritting out the title.  
“So do I.” he gave her a reflexive smirk, taking the ship wide com mic into hand. “Attention crew of the Enterprise, this is James Kirk. Mister Spock has resigned commission and advanced me to Acting Captain. I know you were all expecting to regroup with fleet, but I'm ordering a pursuit course of the enemy ship to Earth. I want all departments at battle stations and ready in ten minutes. I hope you’re all in for a wild ride. We’re about to save the world.”  
***  
After all was said and done, the worlds saved, and the enterprise officially in possession of captain kirk, Chris stood (or sat, rather) in front of the rest of the witches’ council, the room unusually dark.  
“Christopher Pike, We have called you here to issue your termination as a member of this council.”  
“What? Termination? I’m not through serving my term. You can’t do this.”  
“Your only official responsibility as a citizen of the other-realm from this day forward will be guardianship, and quiz mastership over the young witch Jim Kirk. As his guardian you have been given the authority to execute all known spells, with the same sovereignty as this council.”  
“Wait… you’re granting me sovereignty, but removing me from the council? This doesn’t make sense.”  
The room was dead silent, the shadowy silhouettes of the witches’ council slipping from view.  
“Hello? Diane? Lux? What’s going on?”


End file.
